Improvement in quicksilver furnaces and condensers



l2 'Sheets-Sheet', 1.

l B. I'. CHASE.

Quicksilver Purneee end Condenser. No. 212,189. Patented Feb. 1'1, 1879.

l W1 y'mf 'SES ATTORJVE ys.

MPETERS, PHOTWLITHQGRAPHER wAsmNGToI o 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. B, P. CHASE. 4 Quicksilver Furnace and Condenser. No. 212,189. Patented Feb. 11,1879.

N, PETERS. PHommHcsRAPHER. WASHINGTONy D C UNITED irA'rES WA'IEN'I t EENJAMINE. cHASE, or SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, AsSIeNor. or ONE-HALE HIS EIGHT To MOSES DAVIS, or SAME rLAcE.

IMPROVEMENT IN QUICKSILVER FURNACES AND CONDENSERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,189, dated February 11, 1879; application led July 20, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. CHASE, of San Jos, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Retorts and Condensers for Extracting Quicksilver from Cinnabar and other Metals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and ex act description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making` a part of this speciiication, and to the letters and figures of ret'- erence marked thereon.

Figure l ofthe drawings is a representation of a perspective of my retort and condenser. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a bottom-plan view.

My invention consists in apparatus for extracting quicksilver from cinnabar and other ores by evaporation through the agency of hot air obtained by hot-dues havin g non-perforated walls, one of said tlues passing through the center of the retort and the others upon the outside, said iiues being connected by suitable pipes provided with water-inlet pipes and fans, which operate upon the vapors to aid in cooling and condensing them in their transit to the condenser 5 also, a downward flue having a condenser, in combination with the central iiue and main condenser, for condensing the steam, smoke, &c., that may escape from the main condenser and the central flue, all of which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate my invention.

A represents the upright retort, provided with a central iiue, B, extending a suitable distance above the same. At each end ofthe retort is a vapor-chamber, D, and along each side is an outside iiue, C, extending on the sides of the vapor-chambers D D, as shown. The outside iiues, C C, are connected by pipes E E with the top of the center flue, B. Under the uesal and C C are furnaces a, as shown.

The retort A contains the cinnabar ore, and the intense heat obtained through the agency of the three Ilues gives any degree of hea-t or tire surface that may be desired. Quicksilver only requires 1390 of heat to volatilize it, but the more heat is obtained the more cinnabar can be put through in a given length of time; and by the construction described I obtain all the heat needed by means of the increased amount of tire-surface.

At the lower end of each vapor-chamber D is a door, d, overa chute, b, leading through it from the retort, through which the cinnabar is taken after it has been properly heated to vaporize its contents.

The bottom of the retort is inclined from the center downward toward the doors el d, and the vapor passes from the retort through apertures e cinto the vapor-chambers D D. There are no perforations in the walls between the fines and the retort. From each of these chambers the vapor passes through pipes F into the condenser G, said pipes being arranged to give the vapor a direct and natural draft to enter the condenser.

The pipes F Fare connected with fans I-I H, and below said fans are water-inlet pipes I I, for sprays of cold water to enter the pipes F. The hot mercury vapor first comes in contact with the cold air from the fans, and then in the lsame pipe the hot vapor comes in direct contact with the spray of water which enters at I. The condenser will always have water in it up to the waste-pipe f.

h is the outlet from which the mercury is drawn into iron tanks for market.

The steam which is produced by the hot vapor is conveyed by a pipe, J, from the condenser G to one of the side tlues, C, or its connection with the center flue.

If, by bad management, any of the vapor should pass out with the steam into the center line, B, it is then carried out with the smoke through a flue, K, extending from the center fine, B, downward for a suitable distance, and the vapor condenses in a condenser, L, at the bottom of said flue K. In the condenser L is a valve, M, which is open always, except when the condenser L is being cleaned out.

The upper end of the flue K is to be proi vided witha perforated water-pipe, to shower the vapor with cold water, thus condensing the smoke and any mercury vapor that may FFICE.

2 RQJISS) by bad management pass in that direction, and such is then saved in the condenser L. The water is to pass ofic through a suitable wastepipe, and the Quicksilver and soot are taken out by closing the valve M, wit-hout exposing the operator to the poisonous fumes.

On top of the retort are doors N, through which the cinnabar is .fed into the retort.

From the fact that the Vapor is drawn from the ends of the retort to the vapor-chamber D, and thence conveyed to the condenser Gr, the poisonous vapor cannot go up to escape and be lost, and cannot affect the operator at the doors N; nor can it go down to the doors d, where the cinnabar is dra-wn out, for there is a constant strong draft to the center or inside vapor-ports, and the vapor is drawn to the condenser G.

The tlue K is provided with a conductor, O, to convey the poisonous smoke and sulphurn ous Vapor under ground a suitable distance from the works, and then run up as high as may be required to carry off the poisonous Yapor. The tine K should be of such height as to condense the smoke and any mercury vapor that may by chance go in this direction, and deposit it in the condenser L, where it is saved.

rlhis structure may be built of common brick, iire-brick, stone, or any other suitable ina-terial, and of any desired dimensions.

I am aware that it is connnon to distill or retort mercury from its ores in apparatus in which the walls of the furnaces proper are not perforated, so that the products of combustion do not come in contact with the mercurial Vapors. I do not, therefore, broadly claim such apparatus.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a retort and condenser for extracting quicksilver from cinnabar and other ores, the combination of the central ue, B, having nonperforated walls, with the non-perforated side fines, C and E, vapor-chambers D, pipes F, fans H, and condenser Gr, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The retort A, constructed, as described, with center ue,'B, outside ues, G C, vaporchambers D D, and pipes F F, having waterinlet pipes I I and fans H, and in combination with the condenser G, substantiallyv as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The downward iiue K, with condenser L, in combination with the flue B and condenser G, with connecting-pipe J, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my naine in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CHASE.

Witn esses: i

J. E. BROWN,

J. W. SrEPnENsoN. 

